Trip Report: Humboldt Park - 2013 April 27

A group of 20 birders joined me on a tour through Humboldt Park, this morning. The day had started very promising with sighting a CATTLE EGRET near the baseball diamond south of the boat house. Unfortunately, the bird flushed before any of the other birders could see it (see separate post). However, we did manage to find some fine and exciting birds.
At the little bridge across the Prairie River we found a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER that has been in the park and pretty much the same location since Wednesday. It seems to take advantage and feed on holes drilled by a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

Walking north along the east side of the Prairie River, we spotted an AMERICAN BITTERN in the reeds on the opposite shore. This is a bird that has eluded me for Humboldt Park, thus far, and I was happy to add it as my second new bird for the site, today, with #194.

Other birds of note were a single SORA, and a WILSON'S SNIPE. Here is a complete list of the whole trip, including two species I saw before the group joined me (Cattle Egret and Spotted Sandpiper).

(See full list below) 

~ post contributed by Sam Burckhardt,

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Humboldt Park (Chicago), Cook, US-IL Apr 27, 2013 6:24 AM - 10:06 AM

Protocol: Area 60 acres

Comments:     COS field trip; sunny, 48 - 60 F 47 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 28

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 3

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 50

Mallard (Domestic type) (Anas platyrhynchos (Domestic type)) 3

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 1 in reeds of Prairie River, HP
species #194

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) 1 on baseball field south of Boat House, HP
species #193

Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 1

Sora (Porzana carolina) 1

American Coot (Fulica americana) 12

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 1

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 2

Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) 1

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 40

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 2

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) 30

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 8

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 1

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 3

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1 m

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]) 5

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 3

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 3

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 20

Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 2

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 3

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 1

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 30

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 2

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 40

Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 2

Palm Warbler (Western) (Setophaga palmarum palmarum) 6

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) (Setophaga coronata coronata) 12

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 1

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 2

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 5

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 11

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1

White-crowned Sparrow (Eastern) (Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophrys) 1

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 1 male

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 60

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 30

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 6

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 2